In many industries, such as the fast-food industry in the United States, a disproportionately large share of revenues flow from relatively small groups of loyal, repeat customers. For the American fast-food industry, these customers tend to prefer speedy drive-thru service to more time-consuming, in-store meals. As a result, drive-thru customers now account for more than half of all revenues in the fast-food industry.
Because drive-thru revenues are so great, American fast-food establishments have begun seeking ways to process drive-thru orders more quickly and reduce waiting times for drive-thru customers. Some establishments use electronic timers to measure a customer's wait at the drive-thru window. If the customer waits “too long,” the customer receives some form of compensation, such as a coupon for free food, to encourage a return visit. Timing usually begins when the customer places an order or reaches the drive-thru window and does not account for time the customer might have waited in line up to that point. Also, the coupons offered as compensation are typically the same for all customers, regardless of whether a particular customer has any interest in the item offered.